Gum Cancer Quiz

Do you only have to worry about oral cancer if you smoke? Who's at risk for gum cancer? Challenge what you know about gum and other oral cancers in our ultimate gum cancer quiz.

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Question 1 of 20

What part of the mouth does gum cancer affect?

uvula

gingiva

Gum cancer is cancer of the gingiva, the soft tissue covering the jaw.

lingual frenulum

Question 2 of 20

What is the most common type of oral cancer?

squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma, cancer that begins in the flat cells of the skin or tissues that protect internal organs, is the most common type of oral cancer -- as many as 90 percent of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.

adenocarcinoma

basal cell carcinoma

Question 3 of 20

Which is not a type of oral cancer?

verrucous carcinoma

minor salivary gland cancer

vestibular schwannomas

Vestibular schwannomas is a cancer of the central nervous system, not an oral cancer.

Question 4 of 20

Oral cancers occur in which area of the mouth?

gums

lining of the cheek

both of the above

Oral cancers may affect any part of the mouth, lips and tongue.

Question 5 of 20

Where is oral cancer often first seen?

gums

tongue

While oral cancer can occur in the gums, tonsils and lining of the cheek, it is more often first diagnosed on the tongue than in these other areas.

inside the cheek

Question 6 of 20

How many estimated new cases of oral cancer were diagnosed this year?

7900

12600

39400

There were 39,400 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx diagnosed this year.

Question 7 of 20

How many deaths can be attributed to oral cancer this year?

7900

Seven thousand nine hundred patients died from cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx this year.

12600

39400

Question 8 of 20

What type of oral cancer causes the skin to appear white and grooved?

verrucous carcinoma

Verrucous carcinoma is an oral cancer that affects the lining, or the mucus membranes, of the mouth.

minor salivary gland cancer

vestibular schwannomas

Question 9 of 20

What is verrucous carcinoma also known as?

Hashimoto's disease

Ackerman's tumor

Verrucous carcinoma, a cancer often seen in tobacco users, is also known as Ackerman's tumor.

Wilms tumor

Question 10 of 20

Which virus has been linked to the occurrence of oral cancers?

human papillomavirus (HPV)

It is estimated that the human papillomavirus (HPV) is linked to about 60 percent of cancers that occur on the back of the tongue, on the tonsils and in the back of the throat.

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)

Question 11 of 20

True or false: Men have a greater chance of developing oral cancer than women.

true

True. Being male seems to increase the risk of developing oral cancer.

false

Question 12 of 20

What is the average five-year relative survival rate for patients diagnosed with gum cancer?

30 percent

40 percent

60 percent

The five-year relative survival rate, for all races and both sexes, is around 61 percent.

Question 13 of 20

Which of the following is a common symptom of gum cancer?

white or red patches on the gums

swollen lymph nodes

both of the above

Both of these choices are symptoms of oral cancers, including gum cancer.

Question 14 of 20

Which of the following is not one of the most common causes of oral cancer?

smoking and chewing tobacco

drinking alcohol

poor oral hygiene and ill-fitting dental work

While poor oral hygiene and poorly-fitting dental work may be factors in the occurence of some oral cancers, smoking and chewing tobacco, heavy alcohol consumption and HPV are all known to increase the risk of developing an oral cancer.

Question 15 of 20

What percent of people diagnosed with a form of oral cancer are tobacco users?

100 percent

80 percent

Roughly 80 percent of people diagnosed with oral cancer smoke or chew tobacco.

45 percent

Question 16 of 20

What percent of people diagnosed with a form of oral cancer regularly drink alcohol?

80 percent

70 percent

Roughly 70 percent of people diagnosed with oral cancer are heavy drinkers.

45 percent

Question 17 of 20

How does oral cancer rank in the most common cancers among males?

first

sixth

Oral cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer diagnosed in males.

tenth

Question 18 of 20

What percent of oral cancer occurrences are cancer of the gums?

more than 70 percent

between 55 and 70 percent

fewer than 45 percent

The majority of oral cancers, around 55 to 70 percent of cases, occur on the tongue, tonsils, lip and in the minor salivary glands. The remaining 30 to 45 percent occur in the gums, on the floor of the mouth and in other places in the oropharyngeal area and oral cavity.

Question 19 of 20

True or false: While chronic gum (periodontal) disease has been linked to increased rates of pancreatic, kidney and blood cancers, it has not been linked to the occurrence of oral cancers.

true

false

False. Chronic periodontitis, a condition that causes bone loss, has been associated with increased risk of developing mouth cancer.

Question 20 of 20

True or false: A chronic earache could be a sign of oral cancer.

true

True. A persistent earache, as well as numbness felt in the lower lip and chin, are symptoms of some types of oral cancer.